1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an exterior located gasket seal for use with a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention discloses a novel gasket seal design operable to redirect air away from a gap existing between an exterior mounted door handle and the surrounding exterior sheet metal. The configuration of the seal, in particular that of its outer configured edge, provides effective environmental protection and increased dimensional tolerances between door handle and sheet metal shapes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with examples of gasket rib or seal assemblies, such as which are utilized in an area of a vehicle exterior surface in proximity to an actuating door handle. The objective of such gasket seals is to provide an environmental seal at the exposed juncture between the exterior sheet metal and the actuating components of the door handle.
In one known application, a substantially flattened gasket seal is secured between a gap existing between an inner configured surface of a door handle assembly and an exterior surface of the vehicle sheet metal. The shortcomings associated with such reduced environmental sealing include most notably air rushing (wind) noises heard inside the vehicle.
Other examples of existing gaskets for use with a vehicle door handle include such as which is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,004, issued to Nedbal, and which teaches a handle housing formed of a body portion and a terminal lip portion surrounding the peripheral edge of the body portion. The handle housing further includes grooves formed in the body portion adjacent the terminal lip portion. The gasket includes rib members which are dimensioned and contoured so as to tightly engage with the grooves for securely mounting the gasket to the door handle housing.
Larabet, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,041, teaches a combined cushion and seal for a door handle assembly including, in relevant part, an annular shaped and resilient member mounted on an arm portion of a handle and proximate the arm portion and a handle grip portion. The resilient member includes a plurality of cushion portions projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the resilient member to cushion the impact of the handle with the housing as the handle moves to its closed position. The resilient member further includes an annular peripheral seal portion projecting inwardly from its inner surface, in surrounding relation to the cushion portions and movable into sealing coaction with the housing to preclude the entry of moisture and contaminants into the interior of the door with the handle in the closed position.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,988, issued to Dewar, teaches a sealed construction for door handles, outside mirrors and the like, and in which the seal includes a tail portion inserted into a channel formed in the outer wall of the selected mounted member. A head portion of the seal is compressed between the inner leg defining the channel and a base member. Upon deforming the tail portion within the channel, the seal is retained in the mounted member prior to assembly of the mounted member onto the base member.